Jjajangmyeon, written as "Zhajiangmian" (炸醬麵) in Chinese, was introduced to Korea following the opening of Incheon Port in 1883. The dish became popular around the Qing Dynasty concession near the port, where Chinese immigrants from the Qing Dynasty began making and enjoying jjajangmyeon in Korea.

The early versions of jjajangmyeon closely resembled the original zhajiangmian, featuring a sauce made from fermented wheat and beans, along with toppings like pork and vegetables. This sauce had a brownish tint rather than the deep black color it does now.

Zhajiangmian evolved into jjajangmyeon when the restaurant Gonghwachun—originally opened under the name "Sandong Hoegwan" in 1905 and renamed to "Gonghwachun" in 1912—first recorded the dish's name in Hangeul as jjajangmyeon. In the 1950s, black bean sauce with caramel coloring became a part of the dish. Right after the Korean War, the United States began supplying Korea with large amounts of wheat flour, which marked the beginning of jjajangmyeon’s distribution to the general public. By the 1960s, the expansion of pig farming and onion production along with government policies encouraging non-rice grains all contributed to jjajangmyeon’s rise as one of Korea’s most beloved dishes.

For a deeper exploration of jjajangmyeon’s history, visit the Jajangmyeon Museum, located in the former Gonghwachun building.

In the early days, jjajangmyeon came in only two varieties: jjajangmyeon and ganjjajang (thick black bean sauce noodles), each distinguished by its sauce and cooking method. Jjajangmyeon is made by stir-frying a pre-made sauce with noodles, thickened with starch. Ganjjajang, however, is cooked to order, featuring black bean sauce, onion, pork, and other ingredients stir-fried in oil. It stands out for preserving the distinct flavors of each ingredient, such as the crisp texture of onions and the savory taste of pork, and is typically served with the sauce separate from the noodles, unlike jjajangmyeon, where the sauce is poured on the noodles.

Over time, jjajangmyeon developed into a variety of styles by incorporating different ingredients while retaining the basic recipe. Unlike traditional jjajangmyeon, made with roughly chopped meat and vegetables, yuni-jjajang (black bean sauce noodles with minced meat) features finely minced meat and vegetables instead of chunks, while yuseul-jjajang (black bean sauce noodles with julienned meat) includes meat and vegetables cut into finger-length strips. For a spicier option, sacheon-jjajang (Sichuan black bean sauce noodles) brings in the bold, fiery flavors of Sichuan cuisine, while samseon-jjajang (three-delicacy black bean sauce noodles) adds seafood, such as squid and shrimp. Some restaurants also offer jaengban-jjajang (jumbo black bean sauce noodles), a platter of jjajangmyeon for two or more people, often served with seafood similar to samseon-jjajang.

Incheon’s Chinatown is home to historic Korean-Chinese restaurants operated by generations of Korean-Chinese families. These restaurants offer a variety of jjajangmyeon dishes, each with unique twists and signature menus. Some even serve a traditional version of jjajangmyeon with a yellowish sauce—a departure from the more familiar dark sauce. This version is made with Chinese bean pastes like doubanjiang or huangdoujiang. While Koreans sometimes refer to it as hayan (“white”) jjajangmyeon, the sauce actually has a golden hue, blending closely with the color of the noodles.

Another beloved Korean-Chinese dish is jjamppong, a spicy seafood noodle soup. The choice between jjajangmyeon and jjamppong often sparks lively debates, similar to those over fried vs. yangnyeom (seasoned) chicken or doenjang jjigae vs. kimchi jjigae. To satisfy both cravings, some restaurants serve jjamjjamyeon (a split bowl with half jjajangmyeon and half jjamppong) letting diners enjoy the best of both worlds in one meal.

[Standard Jjajangmyeon]

- Ingredients: 125g chunjang (tianmian sauce), 150g lean pork, 1 onion (approx. 130g), 250g frozen Chinese noodels (or 1 pack of ramyeon noodles), cooking oil, sugar, salt

① Heat cooking oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the pork.

② Add the onion, increase the heat to high, and continue to stir-fry.

③ Add chunjang, stir-fry some more, then season with salt and sugar to taste.

④ Stir-fry until onions turn translucent.

⑤ While preparing the sauce, boil the noodles (they can also be pre-boiled). Use the noodle cooking water to adjust the sauce’s thickness as needed.

⑥ Place the cooked noodles in a bowl, spoon the jjajang sauce on top, and garnish with julienned cucumber or a soft-fried egg, if desired.

[Ganjjajang]

- Ingredients: 125g chunjang (tianmian sauce), 150g lean pork, 1 onion (approx. 130g), 250g frozen Chinese noodels (or 1 pack of ramyeon noodles), cooking oil, 1 stalk green onion (white part only), 250g cabbage, 1tbsp minced garlic, 1tbsp sugar, 2tbsp soy sauce

① Add cooking oil to a frying pan and heat over medium. Once the oil is hot, add the roughly chopped cabbage, onion, and white part of the green onion. Stir-fry until the vegetables soften and reduce in volume.

② Add the pork and stir-fry until it turns light brown. Then, add the chunjang and minced garlic, stirring to combine.

③ Add sugar and soy sauce to taste.

④ While stir-frying, cook the noodles or prepare rice. Serve with noodles for jajangmyeon or with rice for jajangbap.

⑤ Top with julienned cucumber, a soft-fried egg, or seafood like squid or shrimp, if desired.